On a good terms Russian forces arrive in Pakistan for first-ever joint military exercise

On Friday, Russian forces arrived in Pakistan in a first to participate in joint military exercises.

“A contingent of Russian ground forces arrived in Pakistan for first ever Pak- Russian joint exercise (two weeks) from September 24 to October 10,” DG ISPR Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa tweeted.

The Russian troops will take the state for two weeks from September 24. The joint military drill is seen as another step in growing military-to-military cooperation, indicating a steady growth in bilateral relationship between the two nations, whose ties had been marred by Cold War competition for decades.

Following the Uri strike in held-Kashmir, several Indian news sources maintained that Russia had called the joint war games off with Pakistan.

Talking from Moscow to The Express Tribune, Khalilullah said the joint Pakistan-Russia military exercises will take place as scheduled. The first- ever military drills between the two former Cold War rivals – named ‘Friendship 2016’ – will begin from September 24 and continue till October 7.

A senior Pakistani official said that around 200 military personnel from both sides would participate in the combined military exercises.

The development, Khalilullah said, revealed increased collaboration between the two countries. “This clearly suggests a desire on both sides to broaden defence and military -technical co-operation,” a Russian news agency was individually told by him.